Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
Open
National Institutes of Health is offering grants of up to $85,000 to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It expects to make about 29 awards worth $3.9 million in total. Applications close on November 7, 2028.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed September 3, 2026. Checked October 31, 2026.
- Award ceiling$85,000
- Award floornot stated
- Expected awards29
- Total funding$3.9 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | May 12, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | November 7, 2028 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | January 6, 2029 |
Add the deadline to your calendar
Who can apply
This opportunity is open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Only the following NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility. Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations:Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition that invites applications from eligible organizations to apply. Please see Section III. Eligibility for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the applications will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious applications will be considered. The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit current or recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees for small grant support to expand their current research objectives or to branch out to a new study emerging from their K award research. This NOFO is intended to facilitate the transition to research independence for these NHLBI K awardees. Current NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees may apply for this R03 support starting in the third year of their K award Project Period. Recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 award recipients are eligible to apply or resubmit A1 applications if the earliest potential R03 award start date is within two years of the end of their K award Project Period. The R03 grant mechanism supports research projects that can be completed within two years and with limited resources. These projects are expected to generate preliminary data to bolster a subsequent R01-equivalent application. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, pilot or feasibility studies; proof of concept studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of new research methodologies or technologies, or creation of novel experimental model systems. Applicants are required to maintain a minimum of 40% protected research effort during the R03 award period. This requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of effort on the proposed R03 project and other research projects, irrespective of funding source. For current and former K23 awardees, the research proposed in the R03 application may or may not include patient-oriented research.
How to apply
- Read the full notice and attachments on Grants.gov. The notice is the official source for deadlines and requirements.
- Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID; registration can take several weeks.
- Register on Grants.gov and submit through Workspace before the deadline and time given in the notice. Our application guide walks through each step.
Questions go to National Institutes of Health, NHLBI_R03@nih.gov, 301-402-2541.
Questions people ask
Who can apply for Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepts applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closes November 7, 2028 (738 days left). Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $85,000 each. About $3.9 million in total across about 29 awards.
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